


La Fin de Phillipe de Claremont

by LadyKnowledge



Category: A Discovery of Witches (TV), All Souls Trilogy - Deborah Harkness
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:48:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29777793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKnowledge/pseuds/LadyKnowledge
Summary: In his last moments of life, Phillippe is comforted by Diana's spirit.
Relationships: Diana Bishop & Phillippe de Clermont, Matthew Clairmont & Philippe de Clermont
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	La Fin de Phillipe de Claremont

_Sept-Tours - February 1945_

_So. This is how the end will come._

Phillippe de Clermont took a deep breath and listened to the whispered conversation between Matthew and Ysabeau just far enough from his bed chamber door that they thought he couldn’t hear them. Once again, his heart swelled with pride at the man, and vampire, that Matthew was. Of all the children he and Ysabeau had brought into their family over the centuries, it was Matthew they had treasured most – and worried about most. At the moment, Matthew was urging Ysabeau to let him take Phillippe’s life blood. Ysabeau was protesting, knowing that this would be a cruel weight to add on her favourite son’s shoulders. She would not win this battle. 

It was the first time that Ysabeau was hearing Matthew’s paterfamilias voice but it wouldn’t be the last. For Phillippe, it brought a smile, reminding him of those precious days when he’d watched Matthew with Diana. The time when Matthew would find his life mate was nearing. Phillippe knew that it would only happen after he crossed into the afterlife.

Beside him, Phillippe felt invisible hands clasp his. _If not for you, my daughter, I would not have eternal peace to look forward to._ He told Diana silently. She was always near to him when he needed her. In the way of spirits, she held his hand in both of hers even as she brushed the hair back from his forehead. _I can go now, knowing that in the blink of a vampire’s eye, you will be mated. I will leave you for a time, but know that I do so only knowing that your future is assured. He is worthy of you, as you are worthy of him. Your union is my legacy._

 _Thank you, father._ Diana’s soft words were spoken as always directly to his heart.

For almost five centuries, Phillippe had waited. Matthew and Diana had been careful when they’d visited him, to keep as much of the future secret as they could. They’d refused to even mention what century they were visiting from. But there had been clues all the same. They’d talked about Madison, New York and so Phillippe had watched first the colonies, then the states, and finally the city of Madison formally come into being. He’d known that Diana held a degree from Oxford University and when Annie Rogers matriculated in Ancient History in 1920, he’d known it was an augury that the day was not too far distant when his blessed daughter would be born. He’d sent Gallowglass to Connecticut to watch out for the Bishop family. He hoped that someday, Gallowglass would find a mate of his own but in the meantime, his unrequited love for Diana would protect her.

Phillippe’s musings were interrupted when Matthew entered the room quietly. He came to the side of the bed and knelt, taking Phillippe’s other hand in his. Phillippe waited, knowing that Matthew needed a moment of prayer before he did his duty. Though blind, he could smell his son’s blood tears. _Ease your mate’s pain, daughter._ Phillippe commanded gruffly. Again without releasing him, Diana’s spirit extended to wrap around Matthew. Phillippe almost smiled as he felt Matthew start with confusion, knowing he could not understand the strange but comforting warmth that cradled him. _Leave us, now._ Phillippe ordered. Matthew could not be permitted to catch even a glimpse of his future mate in Phillippe’s memories. Matthew could not have imagined that someday, it would be Phillippe who hid knowledge of the future.

Diana kissed his cheek and another on Matthew’s forehead, between his brows before dissipating into nothingness.

“Rest easy, father. I will ease your pain.” Matthew murmured. Phillippe took a deep breath and pushed all hints of Diana to the depths of his heart. In his mind, he could see Ysabeau taking up the duty to guard this final secret. She stood, as fierce as she’d always been, in the front of his mind.

Raising Phillippe’s wrist to his mouth, Matthew bit down. This was a final demonstration of fealty. He might have bitten Phillippe’s neck but that would have implied a dominance that Matthew had no desire for. Instead, he chose to take Phillippe’s blood as if he was offering it. It was a ritual that brought Phillippe a moment of secret joy. Ysabeau had been the one to turn Matthew, but in this moment, Phillippe felt his life blood flow into this son of his heart. It was something that he’d never shared with any of his own children. His life blood and the bits of his memories, would live on in Matthew forever.

Phillippe felt fragments of memory flow away. The pieces were too tiny for Matthew to be able to make sense of but on some level, Phillippe knew that Matthew was struggling to ingest his blood. Try as he might to shred even his last memories of the torture he’d endured, he knew that a sense of it was flowing to Matthew. He began to feel cold. Matthew had told him, while they were hunting in 1590, about the night Diana saved his life with her blood. He’d told him about feeling strangely cold – something he’d not experienced since he was human. Now Phillippe also remembered what it was like to be cold. Still, Matthew drank. It became harder to think. It was getting harder to protect the one thing that was still his to protect: Matthew’s happy destiny. In his mind’s eye, he saw Ysabeau’s loving smile. She took her place, as always, in his mind, heart, and soul; ready to protect even him.

Beside Phillippe, Matthew fought down the gorge that came with Phillippe’s memories. Of the thousands of lives he had taken over the many centuries, this one was the most punishing. He would not let a drop fall that Phillippe might smell but he felt like he was drinking ground glass. Whatever had happened to Phillippe’s memories, there were only a few drops within his blood that still held joy. Those drops would land against his throat, providing a fleeting moment of grace. Matthew could make nothing out from them, save the word _witch._ No doubt, the witches that had tortured Phillippe remained in some way in his memories. Why they should flow with his remains of memory was probably just a product of Phillippe’s inconceivable suffering in recent months. Humans called it Stockholm Syndrome. The horror required to trigger such a thing in an ancient vampire was beyond imagining.

Finally, the moment came when even Phillippe’s lion heart could no longer beat. Sitting back, Matthew fought to keep the blood he’d ingested from coming back up. The idea of physically rejecting this noble vampire’s life blood was unthinkable. Phillippe was beyond pain now and so Matthew could squeeze his hand as a silent, final, good bye. A few feet away, Phillippe’s spirit held Diana’s spirit when she might have reached out to touch him. “I forgave him for releasing me from my suffering.” Phillippe said in wonder. “There was never anything to forgive.”

“He loved you, Phillippe.” Diana told him. “And your forgiveness will free him someday.”

“It will free him today, Diana. There is no time here.”


End file.
